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Registering to Vote

GET REGISTERED

UPDATE YOUR REGISTRATION

FAQ

By mail, in person, or online — there are many ways to register to vote in New York. No excuses — register today!

Current Registration Status

Check your voter registration status with the voter look up tool from the NYS Board of Elections. Use it to check your voter status, which political party you are enrolled in, and your political district information.

Not sure if you’re registered to vote, or if your registration is up-to-date? Visit the New York State BOE’s online voter registration look-up service and type in your name, date of birth, and county of residence to check.

Submit a complete voter registration form when you move, change your name, or to change your political party enrollment. Update your voter registration today using the forms below or on the DMV website so you are ready to vote on Election Day!

When you move, New York State law requires you to change your address with the Board of Elections within 25 days. Complete the entire form to show your new name or address. Be sure to fill out the section labeled “Voting information that has changed.” Remember to check the box for the party you wish to be enrolled in (do this even if you were enrolled in a party at your previous address).

Fill out a voter registration form and submit it in person or by mail with the NYC Board of Elections (BOE). You can download a registration form from the BOE’s website, pick one up at your local BOE office, at many NYC agency customer service locations, or call 866-VOTE-NYC (212-487-5496 for the hearing impaired) to request one by mail. You can also register online (see next question. The deadline for postmarked and in-person registration submissions is 25 days prior to the election you wish to vote in. If you wish to enroll in a political party, be sure to indicate which party you would like to join on your registration form.

Can I register to vote online?

Online voter registration is available through the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) website. You will need to set up a profile with a valid NYS driver license (or non-driver ID) number and your social security number to begin.

What is a political party?

In New York State a political party is a political organization whose candidate for governor in the most recent election received 50,000 or more votes. Political parties are able to hold primary elections, where voters registered in that party choose the party’s candidates for the general election. (Voters who join a party can still vote for any candidate on any line in the general election).

Other political organizations can put candidates on the general election ballot only, and are known in New York State as Independent Bodies. They cannot hold primary elections. Examples of Independent Bodies include the Socialist Workers and the Libertarian organizations.

Candidates can run on party lines, independent lines, or a combination of both.

In 2016, the NYS political parties are (in ballot order based on the votes they received in the last gubernatorial election):

Democratic

Republican

Conservative

Working Families

Independence

Green

Women’s Equality

Reform

Do I need to enroll in a political party?

You do not need to enroll in a political party to vote in general elections. However, registering as a member of a political party allows you to vote in that party’s primary elections, to help decide who will be that party’s candidates for the general election.

How do I change my political party or enroll in a party for the first time?

If you are a registered voter who wishes to join a political party for the first time or change your political party membership, you must complete and submit a new voter registration form. Your change of enrollment must be received no later than 25 days prior to the general election before the primary in which you wish to vote (generally that means in October of the previous year).

How do I register to vote if I am in the military or living overseas?

If you are serving in the U.S. military, you, along with your spouse and any dependents of voting age living with you, may register as a military voter in the state of New York. This means you will be able to receive an absentee ballot for all federal, state, and local elections in which you would be eligible to vote based on your residence in the state of New York.

If you are registered but your address changes, including if you move back to your U.S. residence, you must contact your borough Board of Elections office and inform them of the change to receive your absentee ballot.

When you register and apply for your ballot, you may specify the format in which you would like to receive your ballot (i.e., mail, fax, or email). If you select the online ballot delivery option, you will receive an email directing you to the state of New York’s ballot delivery site, where you can access your ballot.

Your registration has no expiration date, but it may be moved to inactive if you did not vote in the last two federal elections, or if you moved and did not update your address with the BOE.

What if I moved within New York City since the last time I voted?

When you move, New York State law requires you to change your address with the BOE within 25 days. You do this by submitting a new voter registration form and filling in the information on the form, including information in the box labeled “Voting information that has changed”. Fill in your new and old address, check the box for the party you wish to be enrolled in (do this even if you were enrolled in a party at your old address), and provide any other requested information. If you moved but you didn’t change your address with the BOE before the deadline, you should go to your new polling place and vote by affidavit ballot. Call 866-VOTE-NYC to find out whether your change of address has been processed.

Can I keep my registration record confidential if I am a domestic violence victim?

If you are a victim of domestic violence and you are concerned about the security of your personal information, you may obtain a court order from the New York Supreme Court in your county to have your voter registration record kept separate and not be made available to the public for inspection or copying. Only election officials acting within the scope of their official duties will be able to access your voter registration record. You may also request a special ballot so you do not need to go to your polling place on Election Day. Contact your borough Board of Elections office to find out more about their procedures for confidential registration and special ballots.

I am currently homeless, can I register and vote?

Yes, you have the right to register and vote. Fill out a voter registration form and write a location where you can be found, such as “Bench on Central Park on 86th Street”, as the address where you live. You will be assigned a poll site based on this address. Write the address of a shelter, P.O. Box, or family member as the address where you receive mail. Your voter card will be sent to this address.

Does a felony conviction affect my right to register and vote?

You may not register or vote, if you have been convicted of a felony and for that felony:

You can register and vote, even from jail, if you have been convicted of only a misdemeanor. The same rules apply whether you were convicted in a New York court, another state’s court, or a federal court. You do not need to provide any documentation about your criminal record in order to register and vote.